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The Transocean Barents drilling platform is expected to arrive at the drilling site in Block Number 9 on Tuesday, August 15. According to unofficial information, a group of Lebanese officials and members of the Lebanese Petroleum Administartion (LPA) are scheduled to visit the platform approximately a week after its docking. Coordination efforts are underway with the drilling company and Total to facilitate the visit, which won’t be open to the media due to space constraints on the platform and because the crew includes 140 individuals. Total’s team will be capturing videos and images of the visit for documentation purposes.
The drilling preparations are meticulously organized. A device will be initially dispatched to the designated drilling area. It would transmit signals to the platform to determine its precise position. Ideally, the device will be situated directly above the projected location of the well. Subsequently, the drilling pipes will be lowered from the platform’s center to the well site. In addition, the platform will be linked to multiple satellites, enabling automated adjustments in the event of any deviation in the drilling pipes. This feature guarantees the platform’s swift return to its accurate position.
The drilling of the well in Block Number 9 is slated to last approximately 67 days. Should any commercial discoveries be made, the platform will remain stationary for an additional 14 days to facilitate production testing. A representative from the LPA said that by mid-November, significant insights will likely emerge regarding the potential presence of oil and gas reserves within Lebanon’s economic waters.
